This article shows a picture of the State not long after its opening before, according to the article, the highway commission forced the theater to remove its original marquee and signage, replacing them with the current rather bland facade that gives little hint that the theater originally was an S. Charles design:View link

The intro currently says the State was built by Redland Theatres. It should read Redwood Theatres.

Also, the article CWalczak linked to on Dec 8, 2009, credits both S. Charles Lee and William B. David with the design of this theater. It’s probably correct. David was connected with Redwood Theatres from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s, serving as the chain’s construction manager and a vice president.

Let us hope that the plan that would include the current State building as part of a new multiplex is the one that succeeds in getting approved. A similar plan helped bring the Alameda Theater in Oakland back to cinema use.